Been doing a lot of soul searching lately (I’ll use that as an excuse as to why I haven’t blogged in a while), I’ve come up with cool hobby on the side, one that allows me to see the true beauty in everyday life: PHOTOGRAPHY. Yes, I know now that Instagram widely available on iTunes and Android market everyone has the itch to be a true “picture taker”, but it’s a little deeper than that for me..Got some cool shots of downtown Memphis and more. Take a peep at some of the photos!

Not bad..Grabbed a snapshot at work, broadcasting a Grizzlies game on radio

My life, my love! Duke (my Boxer dog) in deep thought…Doggy thought

3rd fav! Taken from atop of the FedExForum in downtown Memphis

My 2nd favorite! This is how I like to spend my free time, with friends in the park! Taking photos of course…Downtown Memphis GreenBelt

My favorite picture! Although, I’ve never been on a hometown trolley, but I’m usually the one to get stuck behind one downtown…Why not snap a picture, can’t go wrong travelling 10 mph 🙂

Changing or improving your life doesn’t have to be a long, frustrating, drawn-out process. I’m always in search of the smallest changes that yield the biggest returns, and below is my collection of quick tips that can make your life easier, more fulfilling, or just less of a pain in the ass.

Try one or two of these and tell me how great they worked.

Zack’s Not-So-Secret List of Simple Ways to Increase Happiness, Productivity, or General Awesomeness

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When you stop chasing the wrong things you give the right things a chance to catch you.

As Maria Robinson once said, “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” Nothing could be closer to the truth. But before you can begin this process of transformation you have to stop doing the things that have been holding you back.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. Stop spending time with the wrong people. – Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you. If someone wants you in their life, they’ll make room for you. You shouldn’t have to fight for a spot. Never, ever insist yourself to someone who continuously overlooks your worth. And remember, it’s not the people that stand by your side when you’re at your best, but the ones who stand beside you when you’re at your worst that are your true friends.
2. Stop running from your problems. – Face them head on. No, it won’t be easy. There is no person in the world capable of flawlessly handling every punch thrown at them. We aren’t supposed to be able to instantly solve problems. That’s not how we’re made. In fact, we’re made to get upset, sad, hurt, stumble and fall. Because that’s the whole purpose of living – to face problems, learn, adapt, and solve them over the course of time. This is what ultimately molds us into the person we become.Read the rest of this entry →

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It’s amazes me how far a little encouragement can go. In this economy, advancement may be slow and our burdens are heavy, but it’s wise to motivate the next guy or gal. Appreciate the talents and gifts of others, if you’re in a position to help someone up–do it! As we watch the economies worldwide crumble, love for one another is what makes the world go round. Not money, not power, and definitely not greed. Maybe it’s time to get back to the basics. So, who’s in your life or at your workplace who deserves a little appreciation?

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The Occupy movement from afar seems a bit disorganized and nebulous, but it speaks volumes about a generation of U.S. citizens and their staunch disapproval of corporate establishments and the wealthy. Beyond Wall Street, city by city Occupy protesters are taking their message to streets, government buildings, and just about any other place where their cause is able to resonate. I’m by no means endorsing the movement, but these disgruntled citizens should not be ignored nor labeled as kids, hippies, or uber liberals because there are some interesting underlying subtleties in this grassroots effort:

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An octopus has it so good, lots of “arms” (tentacles) meaning they can multi-task and have the envious ability to be stretched all over the place. Humans are a bit limited in that regard. Our lives can get very chaotic whether you’re employed or not, parent of children, or single. We carry many titles. The best thing to happen to my life (professionally and personally) is when I found a good balance. Take a peek at my schedule, it’s made my life a little easier to deal with because the titles won’t go away..

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“Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important.” ~ Steve Jobs

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It’s a Saturday night, a majority of the 25+ year old crowd could typically be found in the bars or clubs, making the most of their weekend and dancing to the rhythm of the night. The thought of any sort of extra brainy activity outside of deciding what color shoes matches their jeans, would make them cringe. This 26 year old would never openly admit that he spends a large portion of his weekend, AT THE OFFICE. I mean come on, at my age working on projects (sometimes off the clock), that’s like OMG. LAME…Well here’s my philosophy, you can call it my confession of a workaholic. Read the rest of this entry →

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When you think about R&B, classic artists such as Anita Baker, Barry White, or The O’Jays may come to mind. It’s amazing how their music from the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s remains relevant and still sounds pleasing to ears today. The music director in me loves to research listener behavior and patterns. So, I spent some time snooping around my 12 year old niece’s iPod and shockingly found a number of classic R&B songs in her mix with newer titles. I even discovered some Michael Jackson tracks that I forgot about! My logical guess is that she was exposed to their music through her parents/grandparents, who fall within the core Adult Urban age cells. Although very few R&B songs these days are able to stand the test of time, I’d say the genre of music is healthier now than it’s been in a while. Consider this my version of R&B Grammy nominations..I list them, you decide? Read the rest of this entry →